Chris and Jeremy's 2003 volunteer adventure in India

A brief background: the who, what, when, where, and how.

Who: A group of international volunteers from the United States, France, Spain, Germany, Japan, and India.
What: Community outreach work with FSL India (Field Services and Inter-cultural Learning).
When: September 2-September 16, 2003.
Where: Rural southern India. The closest widely known cities were Mysore and Bangalore.
How: Although volunteering is through FSL India, contact is made through a participants local volunteer sponsorship organization. These organizations include: Volunteers for Peace-United States (www.vfp.org), the Association of Volunteer Service Organizations-Europe (www.avso.org), & the Never-ending International work-Camp Exchange-Japan (http://nice1.gr.jp).

Why in the world did we want to volunteer in India?

There’s a saying among die-hard travelers, “there are those that have traveled to Europe, and then there are those that have traveled to India.” Wanting to continue our rise to the globe trekker elite, India was a natural choice, especially since we haven’t yet traveled to Europe at this time. As with the previous years volunteer trek to Thailand, we liked the principle of helping yourself by helping others. This volunteer experience provided us with an opportunity to see an exotic land, meet people from all around the world, experience another culture, help with a good cause, promote international good-will, and increase world cultural awareness.

What did we do?

We volunteered in a small village called Hattyhole. In Hattyhole, we finalized work on a volunteer center, worked on a farm, cleared brush around a future regional orphanage, conducted an AIDS awareness presentation, and taught English at local schools. We also had the opportunity for ample workcamp related recreational outings to the Brindavan Gardens, the Namdroling Monastery, the Mysore Palace, a beach on the Indian Ocean, a parade, discos, and numerous places of religious and cultural significance.

Chris and Jeremy’s Final Verdict

Much of India is definitely off the beaten tourist path. Parts of it are dirty, over-crowded, polluted, extremely impoverished, and largely patriarchal. Likewise, there are parts that are beautiful, wealthy, and modern. The locals were nice and accommodating, but it was often wondered if it was simply because we were perceived to be foreigners with money to spend. Although the workcamp could have been planned a bit better, it was still a worthwhile experience. Through the workcamp, we all had the opportunity to see how the majority of Indians live. India, the world’s second most populous country, is definitely worth a visit.

And now you are left with the following thought:

Man's mind, once stretched by a new idea, never regains its original
dimensions. - Oliver Wendell Holmes.

Check out Jeremy and Chris's 2002 volunteer adventure to Thailand here!

Check out Jeremy's Travel Chronicles here!

This website was created and designed by Chris Hughes and Jeremy Enright.